A memoire for Wolf Song (Born Rickie Provencher)

Foreword

The passing of Wolf Song in 2000 struck me as hard as any death I have experienced in my life.  What follows are my recollections of Wolf Song’s stories, and any other information I can find.  I very much enjoyed his stories and the style he used to tell them.  My hope is that others find these recollections and find them useful, and that they add any additional information that is available.  I hope to find recordings of additional stories; his work was too good to be lost to time.

Personal Information

Born: Rickie Douglas Provencher April 25, 1953, in Middlebury, Vt[1]
He was raised and educated in Addison, Vt.
Death: Nov. 24, 2000
Last Known Address[2]:
RD #1 Box 375
Huntington, VT 05462

Obituary

Wolf Song embraced his Abenaki heritage and since 1985 has been drawing audiences into a circle of sharing, laughter and wisdom by sharing the Ancient Voices of Native American traditional stories and legends throughout the United States and Canada. Wolf Song studied with Abenaki, Cherokee and Tuscarora Elders and Teachers. His lectures and stories reflected his innate respect for women, humanity’s connection to the earth and the cyclical nature of life.

Wolf Song’s intent was to pass on the legacy and wisdom of his ancestors. As Wolf Song would say, “Our bones are made of the earth, the earth is made of our bones.” He asked his audiences to remember that as they walk on this land, they are walking on the bones of our ancestors. Wolf Song’s mastery of acquainting his audiences with the breadth, depth and inherent value of indigenous cultures will be long remembered. He believed it important for people to understand the legacy that Native Americans have and are giving to American Society. He believed that it was necessary to embrace the past to consciously choose and direct our future.

Wolfsong shared his heart and time generously with all around him. His gift of laughter, love of life and his embrace and respect of the earth will never be forgotten. Wolfsong touched many people’s lives and hearts, especially his family and friends. He was thankful for those who were a part of his walk, his family now says, “Wliwni” (thank you).

He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Katherine and Roger Wade of Mt. Holly; his father and stepmother, Harry and Marie Provencher of Bridport; his children, Sara Phillips and her husband, Aaron, of Addison, Benjamin Provencher and his wife, Kathryn Mani-Kui, of Maryland; two grandchildren; Hannah, Matthew, Joel and Seth and their mother, Barbara Provencher of Vergennes, and Joseph and his mother, Myra Timmins of Burlington; two brothers, Monte Provencher of Rochester, and Louis Randall Provencher of Panton; his partner, Carole Murphy of Hardwick; and several nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by one brother and two sisters, Scott Provencher, Roxanne Provencher-Bannister and Holly Provencher-Ashley.[3]

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[1] Wolfsong (Rickie Provencher) in …on the Passing of Elders http://www.dickshovel.com/elders.html

[2] Native Storytellers. (1993). Studies in American Indian Literatures,5(1), 99-101. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20736706

[3] http://www.obitcentral.com/obitsearch/obits/vt/vt-addison2.htm

Dedications

2021 Dawnland Story Festival

The 2021 Dawnland StoryFest is dedicated to the memory of the life and work of Wolf Song, a well-respected and much-loved Vermont Abenaki Storyteller

Wolf Song, (He Who Sings the Wolf Song), passed over on Nov. 24, 2000. Wolf Song was born (Rickie Provencher) on April 25, 1953, in Middlebury, Vermont. Wolf Song was only 47 years old – much too young – when he was taken away by a sudden cardiac arrest.

Wolf Song embraced his Abenaki heritage and drew audiences into a circle of sharing, laughter and wisdom by sharing the ancient voices of Native American traditional stories and legends throughout the United States and Canada. Wolf Song studied with Abenaki, Cherokee and Tuscarora Elders and teachers. His lectures and stories reflected his innate respect for women, humanity’s connection to the Earth and the cyclical nature of life.

Wolf Song’s intent was to pass on the legacy and wisdom of his ancestors. As Wolf Song would say, “Our bones are made of the earth, the earth is made of our bones.” He asked his audiences to remember that as they walk on this land, they are walking on the bones of our ancestors. Wolf Song’s mastery of acquainting his audiences with the breadth, depth and inherent value of Indigenous cultures will be long remembered. He believed it important for people to understand the legacy that Native Americans have and are giving to American society. He believed that it was necessary to embrace the past to consciously choose and direct our future. Wolf Song shared his heart and time generously with everyone around him. His gift of laughter, love of life and his embrace and respect of the Earth will never be forgotten. Wolf Song touched many people’s lives and hearts – including tellers and organizers of the Dawnland Story Festival, Anne Jennison and myself, Jonathan Cummings. It is directly due to the Wolf Song that I am here, here giving life and voice again to the stories that shaped me as a teller and a human being. Wolf Song was thankful for those who were a part of his walk, and would say, “It is when we tell stories to each other that we pause in our busyness to look into each other’s eyes, to touch each other from our hearts. That is the way it used to be a long time ago.”

We at the Dawnland Story Festival seek to make today that way again. And so we say “Wliwni” (thank you) to Wolf Song for sharing your joy of life and for providing inspiration to the storytellers and audiences who were privileged to learn from him.

Recognition

2001 – Native American Music Awards for “Pahanemok: Honoring My Sisters”

Performances

Due to his extensive knowledge of Native American history, Wolfsong was a featured lecturer on Native American culture, history and legends, making appearances and sharing his gifts in many forums and many places, such as schools, libraries, colleges, universities, festivals, museums, and powwows the world over including

• Flynn Theater (Burlington, VT)
• First Night (Burlington, VT)
• Earth Peace International Film Festival
• Fleming Museum (Burlington, VT)
• Indianapolis Children’s Museum
• Boston Museum of Art
• Stratton Mountain Arts Festival
• Journeys into American Indian Territory, Long Island, N.Y.
• Three Appes Festival in Harvard, Mass.
• Tsai Theater in Boston, Mass.
• St. Louis Storytelling Festival in St. Louis, Mo.
• The Appalachian Storytelling Festival in Pennsylvania
• First Things First at the Peabody Museum in Salem, Mass.
• Nicaragua
• Vermont Public Radio
• New Hampshire Public Radio
• WSNO
• The University of Vermont
• St. Michaels College

Recordings

Stories of the Dawnland. As told by Wolfsong, SunSong Productions, 1994.

Pahanemok: Honoring My Sisters. Stories as told by Wolf Song with Flutist Pablo Hurtado, Wolfsong Productions

Stories

Snowy Owl and The White Hare

Gluskabe and Dzidzis

Azaban and The Crayfish

Gluskabe and The Maple Tree

Owl Takes a Wife

The Girl and The Yellow Jacket

Daughter of The Moon

Gluskabe and The Game Bag

Creation of Gluscabi

Dogs have a Meeting

Coyote, Iktome, and The Rock

The Loud Rock in My Pocket

Help Remember Wolf Song

It has been over 20 years since Wolf Song left us, mostly before an era where the internet was a place to record history. For others that remember and miss Wolf Song, I would very much appreciate your sharing any information you have.